Moving Forward
by Roslin Fan
Summary: Bill and Laura have a candid conversation in their tarp on Kobol. They have a big mess to clean...


"We have a big mess to clean up, Laura."

Bill Adama truly was the master of the understatement. But it wasn't the "mess" that interested her so much as his pronoun choice, but she let that slide. They had already established that he'd changed, and that things would be different between them going forward. She nodded before leaning back against the tree holding up her side of the tarp. "I thought we were going to focus on getting off this planet alive."

He chuckled and then he clutched his chest. He had obviously left Cottle's care too soon. She never would have approved of that, not that she had been in any position to make demands at the time. "And here I thought you were gonna mention Earth again," he said.

She hmmed. "I think we've talked about that enough for one day." She sighed. "Since you brought it up, though, let's talk about the fleet. I understand it was in quite a disarray when I...left."

"When you left." There was such a bitterness in his tone. Still. They had a long way to go, it seemed. "You shouldn't have-"

She put up her hand. "I did exactly what needed to be done. It was what the people needed."

He grunted. "The people needed protection; you couldn't offer that. All you could offer was...hope."

"Oh, and is that not what you offered them, when you told your lie?" She sighed heavily as he nodded in concession. "Look, Bill. I'm dying and you nearly died. And in the midst of a battle the people were stripped of their leadership. That cannot happen again."

"Colonel Tigh-"

She held back her snort. It would do little good to deride the Commander's XO. "Did the best he could, I know, but he was ill prepared to replace you, and there was no one to replace me."

"Which brings us to our civilian troubles. The press and the quorum."

She hmmed. "I would say leave that to me, but that's not really an option anymore."

He raised a brow.

"They don't have a problem with me - at the moment. And I'm dying. Which means the people need to know they can trust _you_ and your crew. Which means I need to trust you and demonstrate that trust publicly. But even more important, the press needs to buy it. Buy you."

"Do you trust me?"

His eyes bored into hers, seeking something from her. She didn't break the contact. "You're here. Against Doctor Cottle's wishes-" He grunted and she continued, "-and you seem determined to bring your...family back. So, yes, I trust that, trust you."

"Why do I get the sense that's not enough?"

She gave a small smile. "Because it isn't. The press is a much harder sell than I."

"I tried to talk to them after you left. It didn't go well."

"Not snarling at them would probably help in the future."

He shot her that glare. "I don't snarl."

She giggled. "Whatever you say, Bill."

He chuckled until it gave way to a cough. She reached for her canteen, knowing he had finished his shortly after the encounter with the _machine_. She handed it to him, and he accepted it with no protest. "Thanks." He took a small sip, closed the pack, and returned it to her. "I shouldn't take your water."

She waved him off. "We'll get more. Besides, I can't have you dying on me."

"See, I'm not so bad. I make you laugh, at least."

"Unlike the press corps, I know the truth about you."

He nodded and let the subject drop. "What do I need to do?"

She smiled mysteriously. "I may have some ideas. But you'll need to give the press something, and you're not going to like it."

He groaned. "What are these ideas of yours?"

She waved him off. "You'll just have to wait til we're back with the fleet." She giggled. "I want to actually survive the rest of our...camping trip."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't kill you, Madame President. That would be too hard to explain to the press. Besides, I went to a lot of effort to find you."

Yes, he had. The strain easily could have killed him, and even now - they were on borrowed time. "Me? or Captain Apollo?"

"Both." He became thoughtful. "My son...he grew up and I missed it. But you didn't. How-"

"I think I had the advantage of an outsider's perspective. Besides, we're...like minded."

He nodded. "I wanted to hate you, but...maybe you're the best thing for him. I can't give him…what you can."

She smiled genuinely. "I'm happy to mentor him, if that's what you're asking. He has so much potential, Bill. And you and the fleet will need him."

He reached out his hand, and she took it. They shook in an agreement similar to the one they'd made in his quarters. "We'll fix the fleet together," he said. "And if it isn't too much to ask, maybe you can...help me with my family."

"I'd be happy to, Bill, but I think you have it under better control than you thought." She glanced to the tarp keeping watch. Apollo and Starbuck were playing and laughing together. Bill followed her gaze. But she switched focus to him. His love was so...palpable. If only the press could see him like that. "They're great kids, Bill. You're...lucky."

He gazed at her. "Yes, I am. I'll...um...I'll keep an eye on Billy too...later."

"Thank you." She grinned. "Ready to go find out if I'm crazy?"

He stood, which seemed like an ordeal as his knees cracked. Then he offered his hand, and she grabbed it, so he could help her up. "You're not crazy, Laura," he said in her ear, once they were both standing.

She nodded slightly. She appreciated his vote of confidence, or whatever it was, nearly as much as she would a sign from the gods. They left the cover of the tarp and entered the elements. They would soon discover the truth, if they survived the journey. Then they could worry about making their repairs.


End file.
